Best time to visit Somnath, season by season
November to February is the most comfortable time to visit Somnath. Mahashivratri, Shravan and Kartik Purnima are the most devout, and the most crowded. Here is the whole year.
The short answer
For comfortable weather, come between November and February, when the days are mild and the evenings by the sea are cool. For the deepest devotional experience, come for Mahashivratri, the month of Shravan or Kartik Purnima, and accept the crowds that come with them. For the quietest temple, choose a weekday outside the festivals and the school holidays.
Somnath is a year round pilgrimage. Darshan runs from 6:00 AM to 10:00 PM every day, with aarti at 7:00 AM, 12:00 noon and 7:00 PM, so whichever month you choose, you can build a good visit around the coolest hours.
Season by season
| Months | Weather | Crowds | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| November to February | Mild days, cool evenings by the sea | Busy on weekends and holidays | The most comfortable time for darshan and sightseeing |
| March to June | Hot and humid, hottest in May | Quieter on weekdays | Early morning and evening darshan, resting at midday |
| July to September | Monsoon rain, rough sea, green countryside | Very busy in Shravan, especially Mondays | Shravan pilgrimage; not for beach days |
| October | The rains ease, warm and humid | Rising towards Kartik Purnima | A good shoulder month before winter |
Winter: November to February
This is the season most families choose, and for good reason. Mornings are fresh for the 7:00 AM aarti, afternoons are pleasant enough for the circuit of Triveni Sangam, Gita Mandir and Bhalka Tirth, and the sea front is lovely in the evening. It is also the safari season at Gir, so it is the best time to add a day trip. Weekends, the Christmas and New Year week and school holidays are busy, so book early for those dates.
Summer: March to June
Summer on the Saurashtra coast is hot and humid, with May the hardest month. The temple is quieter on weekdays, which some pilgrims prefer. Plan darshan for the early morning and the evening, and rest through the middle of the day. Staying about 400 m from the temple helps a great deal here: you can walk back to your room between aartis instead of waiting in the heat. Carry water and a hat, and keep elders out of the midday sun.
Monsoon: July to September
The monsoon brings rain, a grey and powerful sea, and green countryside. It also brings Shravan, the month sacred to Lord Shiva, when the temple is at its busiest and most devout. If you are coming for Shravan, book rooms and trains as early as you can, expect long queues, especially on Mondays, and pack an umbrella. The beach is for looking at, not for wading, in this season. The main Gir safari usually closes for the monsoon, from mid June to mid October.
October
As the rains ease, October is a warm, green shoulder month. Crowds rise towards Diwali and Kartik Purnima, which can fall at the end of October or in November.
Festivals at Somnath
Festival dates follow the Hindu lunar calendar and move from year to year, so check the dates for the year you are travelling before you book.
| Festival | When | What it means for your trip |
|---|---|---|
| Mahashivratri | February or March | The most important night of the year at a Jyotirlinga. Timings change and queues are very long. |
| Shravan | Usually July and August | The month sacred to Lord Shiva. Large crowds every day, largest on Mondays. |
| Kartik Purnima | October or November | A large fair is held at Somnath over several days. |
| Diwali holidays | October or November | School and family holidays bring travellers from across Gujarat. |
Mahashivratri
Mahashivratri is the great night of Lord Shiva, and at Somnath, the first of the twelve Jyotirlingas, it is the most important day of the year. Temple timings are extended or changed, special worship continues through the night, and the crowd is the largest of the year. If you want to be here for it, book your room months ahead and plan to walk everywhere, since roads near the temple are crowded.
Shravan
Through the whole month of Shravan, pilgrims come to offer worship at the Jyotirlinga, and Mondays are especially auspicious. Expect long queues every day and the longest on Mondays.
Kartik Purnima
On Kartik Purnima, the full moon of the month of Kartik, Somnath hosts a large fair lasting several days, with stalls, devotional programmes and crowds from across Saurashtra. It is a lively, joyful time to visit, but not a quiet one.
Timings are as published by Shree Somnath Trust and can change on festival days, during Shravan and on Mahashivratri. Check at the temple or on somnath.org before you set out.
Days of the week and hours of the day
Monday is sacred to Lord Shiva, and the temple is busier on Mondays all year, as well as on weekends and public holidays. If you can choose, a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is usually the calmest day for darshan.
Within the day, the first hour after darshan opens at 6:00 AM and the noon aarti are usually the quietest times, and the 7:00 PM aarti is the busiest. Our page on Somnath temple darshan and aarti timings explains how to plan each one.
Booking for busy dates
- For Mahashivratri, Shravan Mondays, Kartik Purnima and the Diwali holidays, send your room enquiry as soon as your dates are fixed.
- Book trains to Veraval at the same time; they fill quickly on festival dates. See how to reach Somnath.
- Plan to walk. Staying on Somnath Mandir Road puts the temple about five minutes away on foot, which matters most when the roads are jammed.
- If your plans are flexible, arrive a day before the festival and settle in.
When you know your month, check room availability and compare the sea facing rooms and tariff.
Staying nearby? Sagar Darshan is a five minute walk from the temple
Every room at Sagar Darshan Guest House faces the sea, and the Somnath Jyotirlinga is about 400 m away on Somnath Mandir Road. Walk over for the morning aarti, rest through the afternoon and come back to a pure vegetarian dinner after the evening show.